In the Garden
by FFcrazy15
Summary: An argument over a bird, a blunt, mind-reading five-year-old, and good spying bushes. What do all of these things have to do with each other? Simple: they all led up to the kiss no one thought would happen. RxK


Disclaimer: I don't own The Mysterious Benedict Society Series. I make no money off of this.

It was a wonderful day- the sky was blue, the birds were shining, the garden was a brilliant hue of emerald green, and everyone was outside to enjoy the lovely weather. Milligan and Moochoo were discussing something about pie fillings; Rhonda, Mrs. Washington, and Number Two were reading some sort of clothing magazine (Pencilla was in a bad mood over the repeated bashing of mustard yellow); Mr. Washington and Mr. Benedict were having a polite conversation about politics; and last but not least, Sticky and Constance were watching Kate and Reynie.

They weren't just watching them for the fun of it, mind you; they had actually placed bets on who was going to win the argument. Constance had gambled doing a week's worth of doing Sticky's chores on Reynie, while Sticky had favored Kate and had bet a week's of hers.

It was a stupid argument, really, though that wasn't uncommon between these two. Now fifteen and fifteen and a half, it had become painfully apparent to all the adults in the group that even the brightest of teenagers could have very idiotic arguments, and at frequency, at that. Today's special: Madge.

The falcon herself had fled the area long ago, and was now resting in a nearby tree as her owner and said owner's best friend heatedly discussed her diet.

"-That doesn't change the fact that _your_ falcon ate _my _mice!" Reynie said furiously.

"Well, if you had kept those _rats_ caged up, this wouldn't have happened!" she snapped back.

"They _were _caged up! Madge opened the cage!"

"You should've made a better lock! I can't help it if my bird's smart!"

"Smart? You call that bird smart? It's an ignoramus! _Just like you!_"

Her eyes went wide, and Reynie instantly regretted saying it. "Ignoramus?" she seethed. "_Ignoramus?_ Well, if I'm such an _ignoramus,_ Mr. Genius, then you're a dimwitted imbecile, not to mention a complete- a complete dilettante when it comes to ornithology!" She nodded her head. "See! I can use big words, too!"

"Oh really? Well, if you think you can-"

"Oh, would you two kiss already?" Constance said, bored.

"Constance!" they both shrieked, whirling around to face her (Reynie hadn't even known his voice could go that high). Both of their faces were a light shade of pink.

"What?" she said innocently, as everyone stared at her (the adults had all turned to look). "You both know you want to. I swear, every other thought you two have is something about 'his eyes' or 'her hair' or 'wow, he's gotten so tall.'

If they'd been pink before, they were absolutely scarlet now. "I- that- you aren't supposed to be listening to our thoughts!" Reynie said angrily.

"Yeah, you promised you wouldn't do that anymore!" Kate added indignantly.

"I lied," she said, shrugging. "So. Will you?"

"No!" they both shouted, and with that, turned and stormed away.

There was silence for a moment, before Constance and Sticky both stood up. "I'm going to use the loo," Constance said, at the same moment Sticky said, "I think I left a book in my room."

None of the adults believed them, of course, but they figured they could ask the spies what they found out when they got back.

Peering through the bushes in another part of the garden, where it was shadier, the little girl and the tea-skinned boy listened to Reynie and Kate talk.

"She's so- I mean- ugh!" Kate said angrily as she kicked at a nearby shrub, their argument forgotten.

"I completely agree!" Reynie fumed. "She thinks she can just- just listen in whenever she wants! And Sticky! Not even shushing her!"

"I know! I mean, of course, I'd be thinking- I mean-" She blushed again. "You're not, like, angry, are you?" She scowled threateningly. "And if you are, well, Reynie Muldoon, let me remind you-"

"No, of course I'm not!" he said hurriedly. "We're teenagers, it's- well, it's just natural. All scientific, of course."

"Scientific. Right."

There was an awkward silence. Constance whispered almost inaudibly to Sticky, "Forfeit the earlier bet. A week and a _half's _worth they kiss."

He snorted. "Kate and Reynie? Kiss? You're on."

"So, erm," Reynie coughed and mumbled, "Lovely weather."

"Yep. Great."

More silence, and then:

"Wow, we're pathetic, you know that?" said Kate with a sigh.

"Yes. Dismally so." He frowned, and she laughed a little. "What?"

"Just- your nose," she said, gesturing to her own. "It scrunches up when you do that."

His hand instinctively flew to cover his nose. "Oh," he said, embarrassed. She and the others had pointed it out to him before, of course; it was one of the reasons he tried to smile more than he frowned. He'd always considered it to look a little strange.

"No, no, I like it," she said, hurriedly. "I think it's sort of cute."

"Really?" he said, surprised. "I always thought it was odd."

"Reynie, it's been three years- haven't you learned by now? We're all odd here; there's really no point in trying to be normal." She grinned at him.

"That's true." There was another moment awkward quiet, before Reynie said bravely, "Well, since this is all just… scientific, I don't suppose you'd mind me trying an experiment?"

She blinked. "What-" But before she could finish, he'd pressed her lips to hers.

It lasted a good few seconds, and when he pulled away, he was the exact shade of a ripe apple. "I- I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me-"

"It's alright. I- I didn't mind." She, too, was a lovely shade of pink.

"You didn't?"

"No."

Silence.

"Well, I suppose we should be going back," Reynie said eventually.

"Right. The others will be worrying."

And with that, they walked back towards the group, as if everything were entirely normal.

Sticky and Constance looked at each other, the elder stunned, the younger smirking smugly. "A week and a half," she said, in a sing-song voice.

Sticky, too, smirked a little, which wasn't like him at all. "It was absolutely worth it, to see that."

"Are you going to tell?" she questioned.

"I'm guessing only if I can beat you there."

"Darn right." And with that, the six-year-old jumped up out of the bushes, Sticky right behind her. Kate and Reynie watched them run past, their friends laughing at them all the while.

"They were spying," Kate said. It wasn't a question.

"How did we not see them?"

"Well, she's short, and he doesn't stand out that well in the leaves."

"Hm. Good point. I suppose there's no point trying to stop them from telling all of Europe?"

"I doubt it."

They thought for a moment, and then Reynie said, "I think we should probably go hide inside for a while. I would rather like to put off the moment of facing Milligan as long as possible, and besides, Moochoo has pie in the refrigerator."

"Reynie Muldoon, I think that's a wonderful idea." And with that, both walked towards the house, the boy awkwardly reaching for her hand and the girl slugging him in the shoulder before taking it.

_El Fín_


End file.
